By Christopher Crone …..Buy us a Coffee on Ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/capitalchaostv
Sacramento’s underground community came together on August 14 at The Cinders Bar for Riffs Against Addiction, a benefit supporting the BES Foundation. The foundation was created in memory of Blake Estovan Soto, the son of The Cinders Bar owner Andy Soto, making the night deeply personal for Andy, his family, and everyone who walked through the doors to support the cause.
Five bands took the stage, bringing everything from punk to metal, but this night was about more than just loud music. It was about remembering someone who was loved, supporting a family dealing with an unimaginable loss, and showing what the Sacramento music community can do when it comes together.
Demons & Disciples opened the night with a heavy dose of riffs and aggression, setting the tone for the evening. They got the crowd moving and started the benefit off on the right foot.
Plan By Six followed with a fast, energetic set that kept things moving. Tight playing and plenty of attitude helped build the momentum as the night rolled on.
Suffer in Silence delivered a darker, heavier set, balancing atmospheric moments with crushing bursts of aggression. Brian Kearns and the rest of the band kept the intensity high and the crowd locked in.
With Brian Kearns returning for double duty as Hash Hole cranked up the chaos with a gritty, punk-fueled attack. Fast, loud and unapologetic, they brought the kind of energy that made standing still nearly impossible.
Cold Steel Rail closed out the night with a powerful set that brought the evening to a fitting finish. But before the music continued, the night took an emotional turn. Singer Amaya Level had known Andy’s son since elementary school. She took the microphone and shared a heartfelt story about her friend, and you could feel the entire room change. It was one of those moments where the music suddenly became secondary. Looking around the room, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.
The emotion continued when Andy took the microphone and spoke about the loss of his son and his best friend. His words brought home the very real human cost behind the reason everyone had gathered at Cinders that night.Then Cold Steel Rail picked up the pace and brought the room back to its feet, closing the benefit with the kind of energy the night deserved.
Riffs Against Addiction was more than another night of live music in Sacramento. It was a deeply personal benefit built around the memory of Andy Soto’s son and the BES Foundation created in his honor.
A big thank-you goes out to James Carson of Metal Image Productions for putting this event together and helping bring the Sacramento music community together for such an important cause.
And a huge thank-you to everyone who donated raffle items and helped make the fundraising possible: Skips Music, Lysol Toast, Nova Sutro, Unprovoked, Parabellum, Sacramento Maidens of Metal, Sacrametal Records, Victory In Vain, Cold Steel Rail, Ray Smith, Another Bates Creation, and the patrons of The Cinder’s Bar for their various donations.
Thanks as well to the photographers who captured the night — Conrad Melendez and Danielle Dean — and to Jake Ferguson of Hate Primer for stepping in on second camera.
The patrons of The Cinders Bar deserve an especially big shout-out for the food, friendship, and hospitality throughout the night. It wasn’t just about what was donated, it was about people stepping up and doing whatever they could to help.
And above all, thank you to the community. Musicians, photographers, promoters, businesses, friends, family, and everyone who walked through the doors and supported the benefit. This is what a community looks like when it comes together.
The bands brought the volume, the crowd brought the support, and Andy and The Cinders Bar provided the place for the Sacramento music community to come together.
Behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a circle of friends left trying to make sense of a loss. On this night, those people weren’t alone.
That’s what the Sacramento music scene does best. We get loud, we come together, and when it matters, we show up.
Categories: Concert Photography, News
Thanks for the great review! It was really an honor to play the show. A tremendously worthwhile cause.
Lloyd
Demons And Disciples